Truss



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,888

T. J. SMITH TRUSS Filed Oct. 16. 1924 2 SheeS-Sheet 2 a w Ausili 5 g-g 27 y, esi 2M 22 at mi. @m In4 Q umpl Z5 25 noenkom attenua* ment thereof proceeds.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT` OFFICE.

TAYLOR il'. SMITH, OF UNION CITY, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES H.

GULLATT, 0F UNION CITY, GEORGIA. j i

TRUSS.

Application led October 16, 1.924. Serial No. 744,068.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TAYLOR J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Union City, in the county of Campbell and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trusses, of which the following is a. specilication.

This invention relates to surgical appliances and has for its general' object the construction of an abdominal truss embodying novel features by means of which sanitation and comfort are promoted and whichwill efficiently support a rupture.

More specifically, certain of the objects of the invention are to provide a truss which, while aording adequate support to the rupture, offers a minimum of resistance to the respiratory movements of the abdominal wall; which is so constructed and arranged that it will slip neither upwardly nor downward from the position to which' it is adjusted,land which is cool, perfect in lit, and easily cleaned.

Another object of the invention `is to construct a belt supported truss having a bodyengaging member capable ofpartaking of the movements of the abdominal wall without hindrance from the belt.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a truss having means which automatically engage the skin in a massaging action through the normal movements of the abdomen.

Other objects of the invention will `appear as the description of the preferred embodi- In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of my improved truss. j

Figure 2 is a similar view,`parts of the outer member being broken away.

`Figurel `3 is a section taken along tlieline 3-3 of Figure l. j

Figure lis a section taken along the line 4.--4 of Figure l. v A

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the hinged pressure plate. j

Figure 6 is a front elevation showing one of the body-engaging plates.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the supporting plate.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a slightly modilied form 0f the invention.V

Referring no-w in detail to the several figures, and first, tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures l to 7 in-HJ,

elusive, the numerals 1 and 2 represent body-engaging plates, which in the illustrated form of the invention are shown as being symmetrically shaped Withfrespect to the median line of the truss. `The bodyengaging plates are formed on that side which contacts with the body, with a curvature which conforms to the normal shape of the abdominal Wall in the region to which the truss is applied. The edges of the body-engagingplates are rolled outwardly as'shown at J3 in Figure l soas to avoid the presence of sharp edges which might press into the abdominal wall, and cause discomfort. The body-engaging plates as well as the other structural parts of the truss, with the exception-of the belt, are.

preferably made from metalI and are perforated as shown-at-5 for the purpose of rendering vthem cool` and self-Ventilating the truss helps nature in strengthening the f muscles-that have weakened.

The body-engaging lplates 1and2 are adjustably securedtothe back' of the hinged pressure lplate' 6. Said-,pressureplate` is slightlyconcave on its inner side to suit' the contour of the body and is formed with slots 7` and 8, extending preferably in a horizontal direction, through which pass the shanksA of` studs 9 and 10 the latter, as shown in Fig. 4, having heads 27 which seat in countersunk `recesses in the body-engaging plates so as to lie flush with the surface of said plates.l Thumbnuts 11 and 12 are screwed upon theprojecting ends of said shanks and servelto hold tie bodyI en- Ua ing? lates rigid y in p ace. pon looseningp said nuts the body-engaging plates vmay be! laterally adjusted. The

value'of this 'adjustment is that the/ wearer is enabled to adjust the truss to his body.

bodyengaging; plates.

- tion ytowardthe body.

of hinges 1li andly carriedfjointly by said pressure' plate and by the arms 16 and 17 of the p-late 13. The lo-wer part of said supporting plate' is'preferably formed with lateral eyes 18 for the retentionof the'belt hooks 19. The pressure plate and the supporting plate are provided with registering It will. be notedv that while the hinges from whichl the pressure. plate is suspended are positioned adjacent the upperl edgeof said pressure plate, the belt is carried adj acent? the lower portion of. said pressure plate, an arrangement which gives. to the pressure plate=` quite a freedom of movement. Forv instancelslightj.pressure of the abdominal wall againstthe upper part of the bodyeengagingplates 1 and 2 isztransmittedrwithout substantial resistance to the hinged endo-f the pressure plate and supporting` plate causing, `said end to freely rock about some `pointfinor below the zone of the belt,l as a.I fulorum, imposing but slight pressure upon the abdominal wal-l, adj acont the; hingedV endsof. said plates and permitting its: free. and unimpeded movement. At.- the same time the pressure of the springs24and 25 against the` lower1 portions-of the body-engagingiplates holds the latter snugly` in-position above,l the rupture, with sufficient tension to inhibit any` tendency ofl the abdominal wall to bulge locally, but not. so tightly. aslto yprevent'movement of the abdominal wall asa` whole. A chain or other suitablemeans 20:, attached to the lower edge of the supporting plate and to the pressure. plate,limit`s the range of movement of: the supporting plate when the belt is unfastened preventingescape of the springs. o

The. function ofl the belt 26l is-to sustain the supporting-plate in position, but thebelt is, in wrm-.supported by the' truss, fory the shape of the bodyeengaging; plates, the perforations; therein, andthe intluencefof the springsa 24 and 25%hereupon causer said plates-to-adheref closely to that portion of the'. body tdwhiclr they aref applied, thus effectively preventing; the, shifting of.l said As the# press-ure plateV 1s rigidly secured tosaid body-engaging plates, and` the ysupporting plate" is rigidly connected tol the pressure platev the fixity of the body-engaging vplatesr assures the maintenance* of the belt in its normal position.

Anotherfunctioniof the belt is to increase or decreaseV the tension of the springs 211 and 25 according to whether the belt is tightened or loosened. The belt is preferably made adjustable by any means commonly in use, such as glove fastener 217 so that whenthe circumference of the belt is diminished .said springs are compressed, thus increasing their tension. however, the belt is adjusted to a pressure just sufficient to hold the parts in place, the normal tension of the springs 24 and 25, and the holes in the body-engaging plates being relied upon tohold the bodyengaging plates in placeas well as to yield to the respiratory movementsof the v ab dominal wall. A truss, having inherent features which cause it to rest so lightly uponv the affected parts prevents weakening of the muscles of the abdominal wall and therefore maintains ythe parts in a condition most conducive to healing' or natural repair.

Although itis preferred to make the sev-` eral parts of the truss, withthe exception of the belt, of metal, suchasf-aluminum, it mayobviously be made of any suitablefsubstance such as pyralin or any of the well# known phenolic condensationproducts without departing from the scope of the inven-v tion.

In the modified form ofy thek invention shown in Figure r8 I havel omitted the sepaf rable pair ofbody-engaging plates 1 and 2 and permit the pressure plate to come into direct contactwithfthe abdominalfwall.' To thisend the pressure plate has been en-. larged` and given azrshape to conform closely to that ofthe surface against which itis to be applied. Aside from the omission of the generally desirable feature of lateral adi justability, such asis present in the first form of my'invention, the latter modifica.- tion does ynot vary therefromin anyl essential particular.

Although Iv have shown and described whatI consider to be very practical forms of my invention, it is to be understood that the scope of the inventionA includes the making of any,y alterations or kadditions or substitution of equivalents such asmay be Within the province of one skilledl inthe art to which the invention appertains, restricted only bythe express limitations defined in the claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, .is

1. A truss, comprising a supporting member, means for securing said supporting member to the body, abody-engaging. member hingedly attached to said supporting member above said securing means, andresilient means between, said body-engaging member andrsupporting member in the zone ofV said securingmember.y

2. A truss, comprising a supporting member, a belt for securing said supporting Ordinarily,

member to the body, a body-engaging member hingedly attached to said supporting member above the zone of said belt, and resilient means between said body-engaging member and supporting member in the Zone of said belt, said resilient means being normally maintained under compression by said belt.

3. A truss, comprising a supporting mem-- ber, a belt for securing said supporting member to the body, a body-engaging member hingedly attached to said supporting member above the Zone of said belt, and resilient means between said body-engaging member and supporting member in the zone of said belt, said resilient means being normally maintained under compression by said belt, said beltbeing` adjustable for varying the compression of said resilient means.

4f. A truss, comprising a supporting member, means for securing said supporting member to the body, and a body-engaging member comprising a pressure plate hingedly attached to said supportingl member above said securing means and separate body-engaging plates secured to said pressure plate.

5. A truss, comprising a supporting member, means for securing said supporting member to the body, and a body-engaging member comprising a pressure plate hingedly attached to said supporting member above said securing means and separate body-engaging plates adjustably secured to said pressure plate.

6. A truss, comprising a supporting member, means for securing said supporting member to the body, a body-engaging member including a pressure plate hingedly attached to said supporting member above said securing means, laterally adjustable bodyengaging plates, and means for securing said plates to said pressure plate in Various positions of lateral adjustment.

7. A truss, comprising a supporting member, provided with belt-retaining means, a belt cooperable with said means for securing said supporting member to the body, a bodyengaging member including a pressure plate hingedly attached to said supporting member above the zone of said belt, and laterally adjustable body-engaging plates adjustably secured to said pressure plate, and resilient means between said pressure plate and supporting member in the zone of said belt, said resilient means being normally maintained under compression of said belt.

8. A truss, comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to the body by a belt, a body-engaging member hingedly attached to said supporting member above the zone of said belt and resilient means between said body-engaging member and supporting member in said zone adapted to be maintained under compression by said belt.

9. In a truss, a supporting member adapted to be secured to the body of a belt, a bodyengaging member including a plate hingedly attached to said supporting member, and body-engaging plates adjustably secured to said first mentioned plate, said plates being made of rigid non-absorbent material.

10. A truss, comprising a supporting member, means for securing said supporting member to the body, a body-engaging member hingedly attached to said supporting member above said securing means, and resilient means between said body-engaging member and supporting member adjacent the zone ot said securing member.

In testimony whereotl I have hereunto setmy hand.

TAYLOR J. SMITH. 

